Walt Disney World has introduced a brand new restaurant coming to EPCOT in 2023. This submit covers every little thing we all know concerning the eating location, with meals photographs, tentative timeframe, and our commentary about this addition to the culinary panorama of World Showcase.
For starters, this new restaurant can be positioned within the Japan pavilion in EPCOT’s World Showcase, and can be referred to as Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya. This table-service restaurant will provide a festive eating expertise in a sharable Izakaya-style so that you can create reminiscences and good instances by flavors.
At Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya, you’ll be capable of expertise the essence of Japan’s seasonal festivals, the place every month brings a brand new celebration to your desk. From hanging tanzaku to rejoice Tanabata in July to savoring moon-viewing dumplings in September, a cultural consultant from Japan will information you thru every distinctive pageant expertise, one chunk at a time.
The ambiance at Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya will embrace the festivals of Japan, with the ambiance that includes stunning, hand painted art work and lanterns highlighting a few of the pure wonders of Japan. Each go to is designed to create unforgettable reminiscences that seize the spirit of Japan’s vibrant seasonal festivities.
In addition to a full menu stuffed with Japanese delicacies, Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya will characteristic an open sushi bar and grill. Located on the second ground of the Japan pavilion’s Mitsukoshi Department Store, Shiki-Sai gives beautiful views of EPCOT, World Showcase Lagoon, and fireworks.
Sushi lovers will benefit from the first-hand take a look at sushi being made proper earlier than their eyes by the cooks when sitting on the bar. This distinctive spot supplies a novel eating expertise together with a trellis impressed by the roof of the Phoenix Hall at Byodoin Temple in Uji, Japan.
If you fancy your self a sushi aficionado otherwise you’re seeking to develop your palate to a brand new chunk, the Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya menu has no scarcity of dishes so that you can attempt. Highlights from the sushi bar embrace the Kobore Sushi, Tokyo Negi Roll, Funamori, and The Monster Roll.
Kobore Sushi interprets to “overflowing sushi” and this merchandise options negi toro and nakaochi tuna elegantly paired with salmon roe and inexperienced onion. The Tokyo Negi Roll combines inexperienced onion tempura rolled with tuna tataki and topped with jalapeno aïoli, shredded carrot, and sliced jalapeno for a pleasant roll.
The Funamori options sashimi and sushi organized on a boat-shaped platter. This iteration of Funamori is even served with the festive pomp and the boat procession of the well-known Tenjin Matsuri.
You’ll additionally be capable of pattern dishes from the scrumptious world of Japanese Izakaya, a kind of informal pub-style restaurant. One of the primary highlights of Izakaya tradition is the emphasis on sharing plates of meals whereas having fun with drinks and dialog with pals.
The menu at an Izakaya sometimes options a variety of small dishes, and Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya at EPCOT is not any completely different. From savory Karaage Chicken to succulent Salmon Misoyaki, even a refreshing Tomato Salad with Avocado, Izakaya delicacies is all about providing quite a lot of scrumptious small plates that may be indulged in a social and relaxed ambiance.
Not solely are you able to get dishes from the sushi bar, however the grill will even be serving up scrumptious choices generally present in Japanese delicacies. Among the grilled gadgets at Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya, okonomiyaki is a spotlight. This Japanese savory pancake is made with a batter of flour, eggs, and water, after which stuffed with shredded cabbage and bacon, and topped with tangy okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, aonori, bonito flakes, and pickled ginger.
Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya is tentatively scheduled to open at EPCOT in Summer 2023. Walt Disney World has not introduced a particular date, or if/when Advance Dining Reservations will open. Currently, the schedule exhibits “no times available” by mid-July 2023 at Tokyo Dining, however that doesn’t essentially imply something. We’ll replace this accordingly as soon as we be taught extra.
Although unspoken within the official announcement, Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya will essentially be a part of or a alternative for Tokyo Dining. That restaurant has been closed since final November for a significant transforming and reimagining, and it might appear that Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya is the fruit of that undertaking.
Our preliminary inclination was that Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya would take over a portion of Tokyo Dining, because it’s already a bit subdivided with an open bar space and the desk service restaurant on the opposite facet of that. However, the suggestion that Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya will provide lagoon and fireworks views suggests in any other case, as you possibly can’t see a lot of something from the lounge space–it’s nestled in the midst of the constructing, between the seating for Tokyo Dining on the window facet, and Teppan Edo on the opposite facet (separated by a wall).
We are completely advantageous with Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya changing Tokyo Dining utterly. We ate at Tokyo Dining final fall a number of weeks earlier than it closed, and it was simply one of many worst meals we had at Walt Disney World within the final yr. (And I say that as somebody who has been lately revisiting counter service choices that I hate in Magic Kingdom, consuming extra sizzling canine, burgers, and flatbreads than anybody ought to eat in a lifetime!)
That’s not us being snobbish about Japanese delicacies, both. We’re massive followers of Katsura Grill, and even like Teppan Edo for what it’s. But it’s been some time since we’ve had something that impressed at Tokyo Dining. The restaurant itself was nothing memorable, particularly in the event you had been seated away from a window and caught in the midst of the massive and boring room.
To that time, it’ll be attention-grabbing to see how the inside of the restaurant modifications. There was nothing essentially dangerous concerning the look of Tokyo Dining earlier than–it had an genuine however primary ‘modern’ look just like what you’d see on the higher ranges of shops. It wasn’t good or dangerous…or memorable.
A extra visible partaking fashion for Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya would positively be welcome. Imagineering did a fantastic job with Takumi-Tei (beneath), and this sounds equally promising. Drawing inspiration from Byodoin Temple (above) is an effective transfer, and means that Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya will use types that evoke a extra conventional Japan. (The festivals talked about within the press launch additionally reinforce this.)
We additionally love the thought of a restaurant with a menu that guarantees to vary with the seasons. Throughout Japan, however particularly in Kyoto, seasonality is large. Many eating places serve omakase menus comprised of seasonal greens and fish obtained from the wholesalers round Nishiki Market.
The presentation can be extremely necessary, from the colours of the components and garnishes proper all the way down to the dishes. We’ve dined at some eating places in Kyoto that change the menus–and plating–on a weekly and even day by day foundation. We’re not anticipating that degree of consideration to element at Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya, however celebrating festivals and following normal seasonal traits can be an enormous win. (Although it began out promising, I don’t assume Takumi-Tei even does this anymore.)
As for the menu at Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya, colour us intrigued.
It ought to go with out saying, however the sushi counter will in all probability be costly. Both as a result of that’s the trajectory of recent issues at Walt Disney World, and given the photographs and descriptions. However, the standard izakaya delicacies needs to be comparatively cheap and approachable, as that is principally bar meals. They normally provide scrumptious homestyle cooking and comforting delicacies.
Personally, I’m far more excited concerning the Karaage Chicken than the sushi.
There are few meals I really like in Japan greater than rooster. I at all times order the karaage at ramen outlets and izakaya, and comfort retailer fried rooster has turn into a go-to breakfast when consuming at 7-11 or Family Mart. (No joke. Famichiki and Seven Chicken are each top-tier; if the choices at Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya are half pretty much as good as these comfort shops, Walt Disney World friends are in for a deal with!)
We’re additionally excited that okonomiyaki is lastly coming to EPCOT. We eat okonomiyaki continuously as a result of it’s low cost, enjoyable to see being ready proper in entrance of you, tastes nice, and is extremely customizable. During our final go to to Japan, we dined at an okonomiyaki restaurant and solely paid about $5 for every of our entrees. Granted, we needed to cook dinner them ourselves (a comedy of errors) and the alternate fee may be very favorable proper now, however nonetheless. The level stands that it’s an extremely cheap meal.
We’ve been begging for EPCOT to do okonomiyaki (and ramen) for years. In a submit a pair summers in the past, we wrote this: We’d love Teppan Edo to do an okonomiyaki lunch menu; it’s approachable, enjoyable, and Walt Disney World might overcharge for it with out most friends realizing it. (We’d gladly overpay for the okonomiyaki expertise!)
It now appears like we’ll be getting the chance to eat and overpay for an okonomiyaki expertise at Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya!
Ultimately, we’re actually hyped for Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya opening at EPCOT in Summer 2023…as you possibly can in all probability inform. Tokyo Dining was lengthy overdue for a refresh to each the menu and inside, and this may hopefully give the restaurant a shot within the arm. The idea of a sushi counter and izakaya is a superb one, particularly if Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya follows by on the promise of seasonality. If all goes properly, Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya might rework a middling World Showcase restaurant and switch it into an asset–one that’s each a memorable culinary and cultural expertise.
Our solely actual concern is pricing. Obviously, there’s going to be a major Walt Disney World premium; that a lot goes with out saying. It’s additionally possible that the sushi bar could have some absurdly costly choices aimed upmarket; that additionally looks as if a given. However, our hope is that the restaurant stays true to the izakaya idea and gives reasonably priced and shareable dishes, with costs a lot nearer to Spice Road Table than Takumi-Tei. Our concern is that it’ll skew extra in direction of the latter, aiming for a higher-end viewers throughout the board. Here’s hoping that Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya delivers on its promise and potential with out breaking the financial institution. We can’t wait!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider the idea for the brand new Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya coming to EPCOT? Think this could possibly be a superb alternative or complement to Tokyo Dining? Did you dine there any time within the final couple of years? What did you consider your meal? Excited for a sushi counter and pub-fare coming to the Japan pavilion? Agree or disagree with any of our assessments? Any questions we may help you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!